Pilotus PC7 showing the Flight Gear Flying Club Livery, as designed by Christopher for the club.

2010-04-19T03:06:55Z

Trenn:

{{newsletter}}

(Feel free to contribute to next month's newsletter. Have a look at [[:Category:FlightGear Newsletter|the archive]] and in the forum or mailing lists for ideas on what can be included.)

We would like to emphasize that the monthly newsletter can not live without the contributions of FlightGear users and developers (thanks to everyone that contributed this time!). Everyone (with a wiki account, free to register) can edit the newsletter of next month and every contribution is welcome.

==In the hangar==
===Aircraft===
====Fokker 50====
The F50 hasn't got totally new functions, but Gijs [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7542 spotted a problem] with the .xml files in the plane, thus making it unable to fly on version 2.0. The .xml files have been patched and are available at the forum. Behind the (computer)screens, Charlie has been improving the Fokker and a new version could be released any time.

In the mean time both Gijs and gooneybird have created a bunch of excellent new liveries which can be [http://flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7604 found in the forum] and downloaded from the [http://liveries.flightgear.org/aircraft.php?id=7 livery database]. All of these are based on aircraft that actually fly (or flew) somewhere out there.

====IL-96-400====
The IL96-400 [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7439 was released] on 06 Apr 2010, and is downloadable from UnitedFreeWorld.

====Boeing 747SP====
The Boeing 747SP, a special ultra-long-haul version of the B747, is being developed by shervin88 on [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7572 the forum]. It is still at an alpha stage.

====VMX22 Osprey====
The Osprey [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7205 is being revamped] by ot-666, with a totally new model and FDM.

====Boeing 717====
The 717 is still at a pre-alpha stage at the forum.

====North American P-51D====
The P-51D, a legendary fighter, was [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7494 remodeled] under JSBSim only by hvengel.

====C-5====
The C-5 [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7557 is being modeled] by jonbourg.

====IAR80====
The IAR80 prop [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7225 is near completion].

====747-8I====
The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental is being modeled by MOJO.

====A318====
The A318 is being modeled from the A319. Read more about this project at [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6524 the forum].

====C-17====
The awesome C-17 has been in work by jonbourg for a while now and it looks great. The model is fantastic and it includes a working cargo door, animation and now fully operating thrust reverse. Upcoming updates will include an airdrop feature and 3D cockpit instrumentation. Also in the works is DATCOM information for a realistic flying experience.

====P-47N====
Jon Bourgeois (jonbourg) also is currently working on the P-47N from [http://home.comcast.net/~davidculp2/hangar/hangar.html Dave Culp's hangar].

====Quest Kodiak 100====
The Quest Kodiak is a modern STOL turboprop single built to be a back-country aircraft to help in areas in which humanitarian help is needed. At the moment exists a basic FDM and an outside 3D model with animations of it. We are currently working on the cockpit. If you want to help developing please write a mail to not.everyone.lives [at] googlemail [dot] com. You can download the Kodiak [http://takhadnotor.github.com/kodiak/ from here]. Also a [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6804 forum thread] represents the project.

====B-29 Superfortress====
The original author of the B-29 model is not active in FlightGear at the moment due to the pressures of real-life work. So Vivian Meazza has been busy with bringing the B-29 model up-to-date. The ambient light levels have been brought into line with current practice and the YASim FDM has been lightly worked over. Some effects have been added: the reflective effect, exhaust staining, and contrails.

====ASK-13 Glider====
[[Image:ASK13.jpg|thumb|The ASK-13 by Patrice Poly. ]]

The gliders fleet is growing, with this Schleicher twin seat glider. It has a accurate fdm based on real experiences of the author. It contains the new bumbspec shader, detailled interior with AmbientShadows baked, DualCockpit over MP and many things more. See [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7531 this thread] for details and download. It is available in CVS as well now!

====Piper J3 Cub====
[[Image:J3cup.1.jpg|thumb|New Piper J3 Cub by Don Lavelle. Custom Scenery "France" in the background.]]
This taildragger has been now completly remodelled in Blender by Don Lavelle. It features an accurate 3d-modell, high resolution textures, paintkit, pilotmodel, smoke effect and detailled interior. The new Piper J3 Cub is now available in the [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6890&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a forum] or in CVS.

===Liveries===
Just two months after its (re)launch, the [http://liveries.flightgear.org livery database] has been visited by more than 1100 unique visitors, from 77 different countries. Together they have viewed over 25.000 pages. As of April, more than 200 liveries are available and the database is still expanding.

New liveries are continously being accepted, through [http://liveries.flightgear.org/contribute.php the contribute page].

==CVS news==

=== New and improved shaders===
[[Image:B29 shader.jpg|thumb|New Reflection Shader applied to the B29. It shows a shiny, high-reflective blank metal, which can be achieved now with the new shader.]]
[[Image:EC135 shader2.jpg|thumb|New Reflection Shader applied to the Ec135 for testing. It is here controlled by a greymap, but could be controlled by the materials setting as well]]

Frederic Bouvier improved the Urban Shader - it now supports nightlighting and snow as well. He improved the landmass-shader too, which gives us a more realistic 3d-look to the forest. There is also a new slider in the rendering settings to adjust the level of eye-candy to the available hardware power.

Vivian Meazza added a Reflection Shader. This now gives us shiny surfaces on any object. So you can now have shiny blank metals, or a glossy coating like we can see on cars and modern aircraft, or shiny windows, which even show a nice rainbow effect (like the Airbus shows). These effects are completely configurable and can be controlled in many ways.

It support Cubemaps as well, and as this influences the look of the shader effect a lot, people are invited to create as many and different as we could need.

Finally, there is a new wiki article ([[Howto: Use The Normal Map Effect in Aircraft]]) on using the normal mapping shader, which is very useful for adding bump maps to aircraft. The standard Cessna 172p already uses this effect to show the rivets on the wings and fuselage.

If you are interested in doing some shader development yourself, e.g. by customizing existing shaders or creating completely new ones, make sure to take a look at [[Howto: Shader Programming in FlightGear]] which aims to provide an introduction about shader programming for FlightGear.

===Weather development very active===
In the end of March and start of April, lots of developers have released, [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7358 in the forum], contributions to a local weather system.

The aim of a local weather system is to simulate weather phenomena tied to specific locations. Examples for this are a thunderstorm, a rainfront or thermal development. In the case of the thunderstorm, severe rain and turbulence occur in a location a few kilometers in scale, i.e. one can easily view it 'from outside' or fly in and out of this region. Similarly, the development of thermal convection clouds is strongly tied to features of the terrain - thermal development does not occur easily over open water or snow, but it is strong over rock or similar surfaces which heat in the sun. Finally, a rainfront is a phenomenon like a thunderstorm that divides the sky into two regions - one with essentially good visibility and clear sky, the other with severe clouds and rain, and both are visible at the same time.

This is in contrast to the current standard weather system of Flightgear where weather changes affect the weather everywhere in the simulated world and are (with few exceptions) not tied to specific locations. In such a system, it is impossible to observe e.g. the approach of a rainfront while flying in sunshine. In contrast, the local weather system allows for visual impressions such as the following:

<center>
[[File:Clouds-nimbostratus.jpg|500px]]
</center>

The [http://www.phy.duke.edu/~trenk/files/local_weather_fgfs2.0.0_v0.51.tgz current release v0.51] is still limited to simulating weather in a 40x40 km tile, but supports placement of regions in which visibility, rain, snow and thermal lift are set, as well as interpolation of visibility, pressure, temperature and dewpoint between preset weather stations. The system also automatically creates thermals below convective clouds which can be utilized by gliders using a CVS patch, thus providing greatly enhanced soaring capability. More details in the forum or in the Wiki article [[A local weather system]].

Help with texturing cloud models, developing and improving shader effects, testing, merging with the C++ code or increasing the library of available weather tiles is highly appreciated!

The data and source code for these clouds are now in CVS.

===AI traffic becomes more interactive ===
Early April, a patch was was committed to [[TaxiDraw]], FlightGear's airport design program, which allows a more thorough checking of AI ground networks for internal consistency. This patch, and the consequential improvement in ground network quality serves as a lead-up to a batch of new functionality in the [[AI Interactive Traffic]] code. Communication between taxiing AI aircraft and and ground control can be tracked by tuning your comm radios to the appropriate ground frequency. Although the system is designed to work at any airport, best chances of for witnessing this ground activity is at [[EHAM]], by tuning into 121.7 for startup clearance procedures or 121.8 for push back approval, taxi clearance and all hold position / resume taxi instructions.

===New dogfighting scenarios available!===
Developers been interested in developing dogfighting scenarios over the month. Some AI balloon experiments have been released too.

==Scenery Corner==
===Malpensa being developed===
The Milan/Malpensa airport is being developed by brisa [http://www.flightgear.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2852 here].

==Multiplayer news==
===TransGear Airways: the new way===
As announced in last months edition, the monthly [[TransGear Airways|TransGear]] events' format has been completely redrawn. In total, 12 pilots and four controllers showed up. Apart from the (unfortunately) usual problems, resulting in a few dropouts, it can be considered as a "decent turnout for a first 'new' event" according to organiser Rob (MD-Terp).

Solicitation for the May event will soon start. Watch [http://transgear.treborlogic.com/ the website] for the latest news.

==Community news==

==Flight Gear Flying Club==

Trennor saw a neat idea on http://fgfs.i-net.hu/ about an FG Flying Club, complete with a link to a website. On accessing the site, however it appears as if the originator, Piloter, has abandoned the idea and given up. Trennor and Reeeed have not, however, and have created #fg_flying_club on the FG network for others who would like to come and have fun.
The current channel topic states, " . . . Fly Together - Organize Fly-Ins - Suggest New Areas to Fly - Helping Each Other Learn by Having Fun." This might sound like a rehash of the multi-player forum, but it's designed more for the spur-of-the-moment flights one might like to make with a friend (or a new friend!) or to get together to organize something more substantial. One or two requests: please take FG programming or technical discussions to their respective channels, rather than get into them in the FC. And, please be willing to share and help other pilots with their flying skills, sharing yours, and helping others. This meant to be light hearted, happy and FUN!! So come join us, leave your cares, worries and problems at the door, and just hook up with someone, pick a locale, plan your flight, and Go. See you in the air.

==And finally==
Did you know, that the visibility of FlightGear's menubar can be toggled by hitting the F10 key? Or start your FlightGear with --prop:/sim/menubar/autovisibility/enabled=1 once. The menubar automatically pops up when your mouse is near the top edge of the FlightGear window. A click with the left mouse button hides the menubar again. If you have autosave on (which is on by default), this feature will be enabled every time you start FlightGear. This nice little utility can also be selected using the checkbox in the latest version of FGRun.

[[Category:FlightGear Newsletter|2010 04]]